Indoor vs. Outdoor Vines: What’s the Difference?
You’re likely familiar with large outdoor trellises covered in sweet peas or English ivy, but did you know that vining plants can have a home inside your house as well? Houseplant vines add a lot of appeal to indoor décor by defining blank walls as a natural accent. They can inject life into sterile spaces (like a plain bathroom) and can add some life to a bookshelf by draping over the shelves.
Indoor houseplant vines have some key differences compared to their outdoor counterparts. To start, you’re not likely to have a trellis in your home for the plants to grow on. Instead, most vining plants are placed high on shelves so their tendrils can drape down. Or, they are hung near walls or windows so the vines can hug those vertical surfaces.
Due to space constraints, indoor vines won’t invasively take over space like outdoor varieties. But even so, they’ll require regular pruning and maintenance to keep them contained and growing where you want them.
Low Light vs. Full Light Indoor Vines
If you picture a vine helping to define a moody corner of your home, then you’ll need to choose one that prefers low light conditions. Popular choices include pothos, which tolerates all kinds of light and requires minimal maintenance. If their leaves start to turn yellow, just ease up on the watering.
In contrast, vining plants that require bright light include jasmine, philodendrons, and arrowheads. Place them near a sunny window if you want them to thrive.
If you prefer a vintage feel, go with ivy, which thrives indoors and can be trained to climb up walls. In fact, it might be a little too willing to stick around, so you might need to use discrete tacks to train it to grow in specific directions.
Care Requirements for Indoor Vines
Like outdoor vines, indoor varieties will thrive so long as you give them some general care. Think through their placement in your home carefully, especially if you want them to climb along door or window frames. Plan to train the tendrils where you want them to grow to maintain an intentional look, and expect to prune more often than necessary for other houseplants.
